First time hanger … waffling

[Phillip Asby]

I'm headed out to try my setup for the first time. And I have to admit that the volume/weight of a hammock setup has me wondering why I'm trying, a bit at least…

I can trim some weight and admittedly got a heavier "beginner" hammock since I wasn't sure if I'd like it or not, but the complexity and volume is challenging to say the least.

My current setup

Grand Trunk Skeeter Beeter Pro (28 oz)
ENO Atlas Straps (11 oz)
DD Hammock "M" tarp (28 oz)
AHE New River 30 underquilt (30 oz)
Marmot Aspen Ultralight 40 or Golite Feather 20 bag (my ground bags) (24 oz/30.5 oz)

Plus some extra guy lines, suspension for the tarp and stakes. 7.56 pounds as listed, compared to

Compared to a Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1, Exped Synmat UL7 and either of the bags, well, that's about 2 pounds more… I know I can trim some weight off that with a lighter suspension, lighter hex silnylon tarp, etc… but still.

Anyway – we'll see if I can even sleep in the thing! I'd gotten my ground setup pretty dialed in so this much change is unsettling…

[Brendan Yeager]

That is a pretty heavy setup.

I use a Hennessy Ultralight Backpacker Hammock which, despite its name, is not nearly the lightest out there. With Bugnetting, Tarp, Tree Straps, O-Ring suspension, 2 sets of 'snakes skins' (for hammock & tarp), Guylines and Stuff Sack = 37.1 oz. I will concede that the tarp coverage is pretty minimal.

This setup with an Asym tarp only needs 4 stakes for a total of 2 oz. You can usually get away with tying off to trees and skip them completely.

I use an REI Flash Pad, Regular (3.2 R-Value) = 16.4 oz. This pad is overkill but I like its 21 inch width (a bit of extra width is really important in a hammock) and it provides full coverage when on the ground. Most hangers swear by underquilts; but for the price, weight and versatility I prefer a pad.

The real benefit of a hammock, particularly for us east coasters, is the ability to set up camp anywhere in just a few minutes. Wherever you are in the woods you can find the perfect spot for a hammock within seconds. I find it considerably more difficult to find a good spot to hang my food than to hang myself (that may have come out wrong).

You don't have to worry about being level, drainage, lumps, rocks or creepy crawlies in a hammock. I find it much more comfortable than sleeping on the ground, although it does take a bit of getting used to.

[Michael Gunderloy]

1) My back. One night on the ground, on any pad I've tried, is my limit, and I wake up hurting. I can do a week in the hammock with no problem. This alone was enough to make me switch: hammocking made the difference between still camping and giving up entirely.

2) Much easier to find a spot to camp if I'm slinging a hammock then pitching a tent, especially around here with the forest floor covered with greenbriar, blackberries, and multiflora roses.

3) Endless fiddling with hammock suspension and rigging keeps me out of our youth leadership's hair when I'm on Boy Scout campouts.

Not reasons:

1) Cost.
2) Weight.

That said, in the summer I get down pretty far: Grand Trunk Nano 7 + Hammock Bliss tree straps + 2 soft shackles + tyvek sheet to dump stuff on under me = 356 grams. Add another 298 for a Thermolite Reactor and I'm OK down to about 75 degrees for under a pound and a half. Three more pounds of top quilt/UQ and I'm comfy pretty much year round in southern Indiana.

[John Donewar]

Phillip,

If you are using the "included hanging kit" ditch it.

Amsteel in the form of endless loops and whoopie slings will cut some of the weight from your suspension. The Atlas straps could be replaced with 1" x 6' polyester tree straps weighing 74 grams or 2.6 ounces.

Those steel "biners" in the hanging kit weigh a ton figuratively. ;-)

There are ultralight "biners" out there like the C.A.M.P USA Nano 23 weighing in at 23 grams each and they come in really pretty colors. LOL

I use an overstuffed EE Revelation X 30 degree top quilt that weighs 22 ounces. This splits the difference of temperature ratings on your bags and would save @ 2-8 ounces depending on how cold you sleep.

Hang In There!

Party On,

Newton ;-)

[Kevin Schneringer]

As has been previously mentioned…..better sleep is worth a little extra weight.

Getting rid of your current suspension system would be an easy way to drop some ounces.
Sell your atlas straps and tarp and get a set of woopie slings and a sil tarp will get you 12-15 ounces.

For winter use:
Go to DIY gear and buy 3-4 yards of 1.1 oz nylon, get heavier material depending on your body weight. And make a gathered end hammock.
Put your woopies on that for winter use. That will cost you maybe $30 or less and save you a 1.5 lbs

My $.02

[Shawn Peyton]

Just to add to the suspension etc thoughts I live and die by this man's skills.

Dutch Ware Gear

Crazy good stuff.

[Reggie]

This is a very heavy set up. There are many lighter options for each component. I'll second what's been said already.

My set up has a tarp that weighs 11 oz and hammock that weighs even less. Once I throw in the tree straps, whoopies, guy lines, etc I'm still really light. The 30 degree top quilt adds 17.9 oz. Bottom quilt adds 22 oz.

But I get to leave my Tyvek ground cloth and my sleeping pad at home. Overall, the set up costs me less than 1 lb penalty over my UL ground set up. But, I have a chair to sit in, excellent bed to sleep in, can sleep wherever I find 2 trees, etc.

I still go to ground at times, such as above treeline, but hammocking is so much more comfortable. I loved it so much I learned to sew, so I made my own gear and sold the store bought stuff. Well, haven't finished an UQ but I now have fun at home between trips creating stuff I use on the next trip.

Good luck on your hammock quest.

Check out Sean Emery, known as Shug, on YouTube. He's the hammock guru. He'll entertain as he shows you the way. Also, check out HammockForums.net.

[John Donewar]

+1 to what Reggie said.

"Check out Sean Emery, known as Shug, on YouTube. He's the hammock guru. He'll entertain as he shows you the way.

Warning! Tone up your stomach muscles before watching Shug's videos. Pulled stomach muscles are a possibility. He will make you laugh out loud. You will have to backtrack on the video to see what you missed while you were laughing. If you aren't careful, you'll learn something before the video is done. ;-)

"Also, check out HammockForums.net."

There is a wealth of great information, pictures and tutorials for us MYOG types.

Hang in there!

Party On,

Newton ;-)

[Shawn Peyton]

Shug's trip videos is how I make it through the deepest winter blues :) I'm lucky enough to have roughly the same stomping grounds he does so it's on my top ten bucket list to run into him on trail. Wooooooo Buddy that would be a hoot. Seriously all my hammock camping skills I owe to hours of trial/error and Shug's videos.

[Reggie]

I'd say you are off to a great start then!

[Phillip Asby]

I ditched the stock carabiners and put on some lighter BD ones – but will ditch it all for whoopie slings now.

I might look at a different setup for cooler temps but I do like the SBP bug net setup (mostly).

The tarp is bombproof but overkill for most situations – it is long and pretty full coverage – worth keeping for really suspect weather and car camping I think. It uses a ton of guyouts as well which I'd glady avoid. I'm looking out for a hex/cat cut tarp to drop a good bit of weight.

I like the UQ and while synthetic the Arrowhead quilts are well loved – i just need to pack it better than the included stuff sack which makes it just a big inconvenient shape (time to try the loose in the bottom of my pack inside the compacter bag trick).

I still want to sleep in it – I pulled the plug and went the ground this weekend after struggling to get everything packed (I was in a rush friday night with some distractions so I just went with what I knew)…

[Reggie]

1st time out you may want to try it in your yard, if you have one, I'm not big on synthetic UQs or TQs. All I use is down and have been caught in nasty weather enough that I think I enjoy it. Down packs down so much smaller. If cared for properly it will far outlast any synthetic. Initial outlay is higher but over the life of the down you will save a ton of money.

Big thing is to ENJOY the first time out. Then realize that it only gets better from there.

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